The One Hour Challenge: Exercising With Your Treadmill

According to the SGMA (Sporting Goods Manufacturing Association) one of the house names when it comes to fitness equipment is a treadmill. And about 90% of U.S. citizen have one in their mini gym at home, or at the corner collecting dust through-out the year.

There is nothing more fun than outdoor activities. But most people do have little time to do so, or are not sure whether it’s a good idea to be going outside. That is why the idea of a fitness tool that is not only secure, safe and easy to control but also offers different levels of running experience is a must-have tool.

But the interest for treadmill by the vast majority of users has dramatically dropped. Some say that it’s boring to work with a treadmill, and some seriously doubt if they are getting the most out of it. If you are one of them, relax. Working out with your treadmill shouldn’t be dull. All you have to do is to challenge yourself. The secret is that do no trudge with one pace only. Mix it up a little bit, or do some exercises off the treadmill every couple of minutes.

Keep the Interval

Intervals with your training program help you to flex every joint and muscle in your body. It also keeps you busy all the time and your heart pumping. You can do 10 minutes of running, walking and jogging alternately and then do floor exercises and weight training during intervals. This will help you burn 900 calories more per hour.

One of the reason why doing intervals is great is that you can have a partner working with you while working out. While you are on the treadmill, he or she can do the floor exercise and then you simply switch from time to time. Lastly, keep track of the progress you are making. Given that it’s easier to run indoors than outdoors, make sure that you gradually increase the intensity of your workout.

Is it Easier to Run With Your Treadmill?

According to experts, outdoor exercise makes it difficult to run because you need to overcome wind resistance and adjust to the terrain that you are running, where as it is easier to run indoors with a treadmill because these factors are eliminated. But it does not mean that treadmill exercises are less effective, you just have to increase the level of your exercise.

If you have little time to spare then it’s not a problem. Because there’s an exercise program that can be done within an hour but can still give you the result you wanted.

Aside from your treadmill, you might want to use a stability ball and hand weights for the interval exercises you will be doing. But you have to consult your doctor first before you engage with such intense exercise.

The designer of the “No Excuses” workout, Wasilewski, sees to it that you can have the maximum output from the little time you will be working out. If your time is limited then this program is definitely the best one for you.

A scale of 0-10 is used in this program to measure how intense the exercise is. A rate of 0 means that there is minimal or no effect at when resting and a rate of 10 means that you will have maximum or heavy effect from an intense workout.

The Routine of the “No Excuses” Workout Program

Begin with the treadmill exercise:

Time Intensity/Speed Incline Perceived Exertion

6 min. 3.5 mph – warm-up 1.5% Level 2-3

1 min. 4.5 – speed walk/run 5% Level 6

3 min. 3.5 – walk/slow jog 3% Level 4

1 min. 4.5 – speed walk/ run 5% Level 6-7

3 min. 3.5 – walk/slow jog 3% Level 4

1 min. 4.5 – speed walk/run 5% Level 7

3 min. 3.5 – walk/ slow jog 3% Level 4

1 min. Slowly take it down to stop 1.5% Level 2-3

Exercise on The Floor:

Alternate the squats and do a set of 30 overhead shoulder press using dumbbells. And do alternate lunges and a set of 30 bicep curls with the dumbbells.

Back to the Treadmill:

Time Intensity/Speed Incline Perceived Exertion

1 min. 3.5 – walk/slow jog 3% Level 4

1 min. 4.5 – speed walk/ run 5% Level 6-7

1 min. 3.5 – walk/slow jog 3% Level 4

1 min. 4.5 – speed walk/run 5% Level 7

1 min. 3.5 – walk/ slow jog 3% Level 4

The next part of this work out is called the interval trek which we will discuss more on the Part 2 of this one hour treadmill challenge.